Raptor_Claw wrote:Darknemo2000 wrote:There is a huge difference between the level of the Euroleague and the Eurocup. Teams in the bottom 1/3 of domestic leagues like Greece, Italy, and Spain regularly make the Last 16 of Eurocup.
It's not even close to the same level.
Chimki, Spartak would beat the vast majority of Euroleague clubs and most of them by a comfortable margin. Rytas would also be a tough challange. Of course in Eurocup there are 5-6 clubs that would do well in Euroleague while others would be a cannon fodder but you can't say that only weakling gather there either.
Is this the same Khimky that failed to qualify for the Euroleague through the qualifying rounds? The same Khimky that has Chris Quinn as its starting point guard? The same Khimky that has several rotation players that are mediocre by Euroleague standards (Quinn, Gelabale, Fridzon, Adrien, Nielsen, Kelati, Vyaltsev). Of that group, Fridzon is the best player, and he's really not more than an 7-10 guy in most good Euroleague clubs. If Khimky was so good, they would have not lost out in the qualifying rounds of Euroleague to
CEZ Nymburk................
Is this the same Spartak that has Halperin, Beverly, and Mavrokefalidis as 3 of its 4 lead players? Guys that were role players in Olympiacos (Halperin and Mavro), and Beverly was not more than a 3rd point guard there. Mavrokefalidis and Halperin are great offensive players for sure, but they are also both awful defenders. Mavrokefalidis is decent defender as a 4, but they are using him mainly as a 5, and he can't guard anyone at that position. Spartak also isn't a deep team at all. Their amount of depth is way below standard Euroleague levels.
Khimky might make the Top 16 of Euroleague, MAYBE. Then again, with Quinn as their lead guard, I REALLY doubt it. They are comparable to a club like Malaga roster-wise, except they have really limited point guard play, and that kills you in the Euroleague. Last year, with a similar roster, and a better lead guard (Langford) they didn't eve make the Top 16 of Euroleague. Spartak? I don't think they would even make the Top 16 of Euroleague. They don't have enough depth.
Lietuvos Rytas? Valanciunas, Siebutis, Rice, Roberts, Rasic, Katelynas, Jomantas, Samarzidski, and a bad coach no less......no wonder they got eliminated in the Euroleague qualifying rounds by Galatasaray.
Honestly, it's not even that strong of a roster by Eurocup standards. In Euroleague terms, It's more or less something on the level of Spirou, but with a worse coach and less experienced players.
I am completely baffled as to what these 5-6 Eurocup clubs that would do well in the Euroleague are. Even Valencia's roster does not look so great if you judge it by this season's Euroleague. Top 16 of Euroleague at absolute best, even for their roster, which does have more quality players than the other Eurocup clubs. And really, as an example, Spanish club Baskonia (Caja Laboral) has a better roster than Valencia does and did not make the Top 16 of Euroleague.
You are really overrating the level of those rosters, or you are really, really underrating the rosters of most Euroleague clubs. Maybe in recent years, there were 2-3 Eurocup clubs that would be decent-solid level Euroleague clubs. TWO to TREE. This year, I see maybe two teams in the Eurocup that would have any realistic chance of making the Top 16 of the Euroleague, in Khimky and Valencia. And like I said, they would not be favored, or expected to actually do so. Neither of them could go beyond the Top 16.
"Chimki, Spartak would beat the vast majority of Euroleague clubs and most of them by a comfortable margin" - sorry, but absolutely no way.